4 Eating One’s Words #3
“True,” he said, “but aside from the Emperor, no woman on our side is standing up to dance. It’d be silly for me to dance with my own ally, so I thought I’d dance on her side.”
“Similar to the decision you made ten years ago?” I asked.
Archduke Darius did not break stride. “That was my father’s decision, but it worked out rather well for us. I’d make the same choice, were it mine to make.”
The dance called for us to switch partners, so I let Darius slip away from me.
He waved, then turned his attention to the next Allied dignitary.
I was passed to a middle-aged Federation representative, who smiled, but said nothing while we danced.
I looked down the line, but Astrid was in another parallel entirely. Once again, I’d missed my mark.
I went through several dance partners, making awkward conversation, until, without warning, I found Princess Marie-Christina sliding into my arms.
“Princess! What a lovely surprise.”
The princess fluttered her eyelids, trying to hide her pleasure. “I did tell you I’d find you during the reel.”
“How do you do that?” I asked.
“One skill you develop from a life of court functions is how to navigate a dance floor,” Princess Marie replied.
An idea sparked in my head. “Could you maneuver people other than yourself? Push people into different positions?”
The princess’s small smile dropped away. “Possibly. Who would you want me to move?” I glanced towards the Emperor, currently spinning a Despotate lord commander, much to his consternation, and the princess followed my gaze. “You wish to dance with her.”
“I wish a great many things, to get to know you better being one, but I’m afraid duty comes first, and my duty is to get close to the Emperor.
” Princess Marie looked at me, concealing the pained cast of her eyes with an inquisitive quirk of the eyebrow.
“You could say it’s why I was included in Lynwyzc’s retinue. ”
“What do you mean?” Princess Marie asked.
I grimaced. “I cannot tell you, but you have to trust me. If I get a chance to talk with the Emperor one-on-one, it could change the course of these negotiations for the better.”
Instantly, the princess adopted a mask of polite confusion. “Captain, I don’t know of what you speak…”
I shook my head, my urgency making me bold.
“You know as well as I that this is a treaty summit, twelve-year jubilee or not. I know as little as to why it’s happening as you, but I do know I could have some clout with the Emperor, and having her friendly to our cause could only be beneficial to your nation as well as mine. Now, will you help me?”
The princess considered this in silence. I noticed we were supposed to have changed partners, but Marie discreetly stepped out of line, leading me around and back into position without missing a beat.
“Promise me you will not forget Stelsylvania when you speak to her behind closed doors,” she said, her voice far firmer than she had shown thus far.
“How could I forget such a staunch ally?” I said, as genuine as I could. I meant it, too.
With a nod, Princess Marie said, “The next song is a waltz. It will not change partners. We should give you to her then, so you will have longer to speak together.”
“Thank you,” I said, relief pouring through my chest like a soothing balm. “How do we do that?”
“Just follow my lead,” she said, then pulled me back out of line and towards the Emperor’s group of dancers.
I tried to relax, did my best to follow her gentle pressure on my shoulder and hand as we glided from one quadrille to another, almost joining each, but never integrating with any.
The music began to crescendo, approaching a grand finale which would signify the end of the dance, and the princess pulled me towards the Emperor’s ensemble.
The final whirls were so fast I could hardly see who was near me, catching glimpses of uniforms, court outfits, and suits.
Princess Marie whispered, “Good luck,” then spun to intercept a Federation nobleman who was trying to step into my place.
I had just enough time to see his astonished expression before my momentum carried me away.
My steps turned me around, and there I was, standing before the Emperor, both of us perfectly still as the music stopped.
The Emperor looked down on me, her green eyes cold, bored, annoyed. Then, her golden eyebrows furrowed slightly, a wrinkle of confusion creased the bridge of her nose, and her eyes flew open in sudden shocked recognition.
The final note played, and I bowed low, my good leg forwards as she’d taught me was appropriate in Imperial courts, and swept aside a hat I was not wearing. When I came up, she was still staring.
I’m not certain what made me say it, but standing this close to her, smelling her scent, feeling the heat of her body, seeing her once again after so many years, I could not think of her as only the autocrat of the Voidstar Trans-Stellar Empire. To me, a part of her would always be my Astrid.
Which might be what prompted my mouth to say, “Hello, beautiful,” to the most fearsome warlord in the galaxy.